The present invention relates to a switch group for the remote control of a vehicle seat adjustable via actuating drives, and more specifically, to a switch group having switching elements that symbolize a seat cushion and a backrest of the vehicle seat. These switching elements are held in a position relative to one another which corresponds to the use position of the seat, and are arranged so as to be accessible from above on a bearing surface which the user of the seat can reach. The switching element symbolizing the seat cushion is mounted on the horizontal portion of the bearing surface and a free space for operation sufficient for grasping the switching elements at the sides is present on both sides next to the switch group.
A switch group of this kind, which is made in imitation of the appearance of the vehicle seat even as regards its proportions, is already known, for example, from German Utility Model 8,516,069. The switch group comprises two cuboid switching elements, described in that document, which represent a seat cushion and a backrest of a vehicle seat and are swivel connected to one another via a spindle. This switching element unit is mounted in lateral guides extending parallel to one another and horizontally so as to be longitudinally displaceable on the spindle. A relative mobility of the switching elements, corresponding to the vehicle seat, is thereby provided. Since in their rest position, the switching elements are held in a stable central position and can be moved in opposite directions starting from this central position, to control the adjustment functions of the vehicle seat, a particularly apparent adjustment operation of the vehicle seat is possible via the switch group.
However, over and above the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest, contemporary vehicle seats have further adjustable seat parts, such as the now obligatory head restraint or a lumbar support integrated into a lower portion of the seat back. Due to an increasing awareness of the comfort of the car driver, it should also be possible to perform these further adjustment functions via switch-controllable servo motors. At the same time, for reasons of clear association, it is also advisable to control the additional functions via the switch group associated with the vehicle seat.
The switch group described in the above-referenced German Patent Document can hardly be used to assume further control functions if a comparably apparent operating facility for the additional adjustable seat parts is also aimed for.
An object of the present invention is to provide a switch group that is more suitable for expansion of additional control functions and allows apparent operation of the switch group to remain possible even in the case of expansion.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a switch group arrangement for remotely controlling a vehicle seat of a vehicle that is adjustable via actuating drives, the switch group arrangement comprising a bearing surface and switching elements. The bearing surface is formed by a stepped shoulder of a cladding that extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is arranged laterally next to the vehicle seat. The bearing surface has a horizontal portion and an angled portion merging from the horizontal portion and is angled obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion. The first switching element symbolizes a seat cushion of the vehicle seat, and is mounted on the horizontal portion. The second switching element symbolizes a backrest of the vehicle seat, and is mounted on the angled portion separately from the first switching element. The positions of the first and second switching elements relative to one another correspond to a use position of the vehicle seat. The first and second switching elements are accessible from above by a user of the vehicle seat, with a free space for operation sufficient for grasping the first and second switching elements on their sides being present on both sides of the first and second switching elements.
Since the switch group can be grasped by the operating hand, the side contour of the switch group can be felt upon grasping the switch group, and confusion-proof operation of the switching elements remains possible even without looking.
The bearing surface is formed by a shoulder of a stepped cladding which is arranged laterally next to the vehicle seat. Such a shoulder can, for example, delimit the bottom of a niche in a door panel.
For motor vehicles which have a transmission tunnel, an embodiment of the present invention employs a shoulder in a cover plate of the center console for the arrangement of the switch group. Two switch groups can be mounted on the cover plate, in mirror symmetry to the central longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle for instance. One switch group is associated with the driver's seat and the other switch group is associated with the passenger seat. Given favorable positioning, both switch groups are accessible from the driver's seat, the driver thus being able to take over the adjustment of the passenger seat.
Due to the separate arrangement of the first switching element (symbolizing the seat cushion) from the second switching element (symbolizing the backrest), the first switching element can be mounted at any desired height above the second switching element. As a result, a further switching element can be arranged below the switching element placed at the higher level. This further switching element symbolizes, for example, a lumbar support. In addition, a still further switching element, which symbolizes the head restraint, can be mounted above the switching element placed at the higher level.
To ensure that the lateral contour of the switching elements secured on the angled surface portion can be felt effortlessly, an embodiment of the present invention provides these switching elements with the same gripping width. In addition, in this embodiment the gripping width substantially corresponds to that of the first switching element, which symbolizes the seat cushion.
To improve the touch association of the switching elements, arranged one above the other, an embodiment of the present invention provides a vertical spacing between adjacent switching elements. Also, in an embodiment of the invention, the appearance of the switch group is made more similar to that of the vehicle seat since the switching element symbolizing the seat cushion is mounted in raised fashion on a recessed pedestal.
Favorable conditions as regards installation space are achieved in an embodiment of the present invention in which the switching elements taper in a wedge shape towards one edge side extending in the direction of the switch group.
In an embodiment of the present invention in which the switching elements have a switch base as a change key, a desired operation is also promoted by the wedge shape by a swiveling axis of the switching element extending along the edge side tapered in a wedge shape.
To enable the switching element symbolizing the seat cushion also to be a change key for vertical adjustment of the seat, a sliding key for the longitudinal adjustment of the seat is integrated into the pedestal in an embodiment of the present invention. Also, in an embodiment, a change-over switch is provided in the bearing plate next to the switch group. By means of this change over switch, the control of the driver's seat or the control of the passenger seat from one switch group can be effected. Alternatively, the change-over switch could also be used for the selection of two different control programs for the same vehicle seat.
To further increase the ease of operation, the adjustment of the vehicle seat can be effected automatically in a manner known per se, the adjustment values of several persons being recallable from a seat position memory. The operating and display elements of this electronic storage device are expediently arranged next to the switch group symbolizing the seat in an embodiment of the present invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.